The bodygaurd of the Month
by ArkenjalUru
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki banked everything he had on saving his family farm. But after one accident too many to his and to his award-winning colt it was time to hire a bodygaurd. But the minute he saw Sasuke Uchiha, he knew he could do more damage to his heart than some faceless strangers could do to his home.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys this is my new fanficton of Sasunaru, So I hope you will support my Sasunaru fanfiction hopefully you like it...**

**Desclaimers: I don't own Naruto**

Warnings: Yaoi pairs, Sasunaru pairs, and other pairs, OOC's

Summary: Naruto Uzumaki banked everything he had on saving his family farm. But after one accident too many to his and to his award-winning colt it was time to hire a bodygaurd. But the minute he saw Sasuke Uchiha, he knew he could do more damage to his heart than some faceless strangers could do to his home.

Sasuke Uchiha raced for the barn with the echo of man's scream still reverberating inside his head. He was hours late, thanks to an accident of the freeway from Louisville.

Was it Naruto Uzumaki the man he'd been hired as a bodyguard to protect? If it was he'd already blown his assignment.

He ran throught the massive door way into the stable and slid to a stop, prepared for a figth.

The familiar smell of fresh shaving raked his senses but didn't dull the blade of caution sawing back and forth across his nerves.

All these years he'd wanted to see Rasengan Farm again, but not like this. Not with the grip of caution squeezing deep in his chest.

The caverous stable was dark, the only light emenating from te open door of the tack room in the right-hand corner.

Was he there?

He started to turn for it, but saw a flash of movement to his left.

Pivoting he saw a man sprint out of the shadows and head for the exit. He was wearing a bandanna to disguise his face and a stocking cap pulled low on his forehead.

Sasuke bolted and tackled him three feet from the door.

The thug fought hard, rolled over and chucked a handful of sawdust into Sasuke's face.

Blinded for an instant, Sasuke snagged the thug around the ankles on the was down and pulled him to the floor.

His captive kicked like a mule wrenching a single booted foot free from his graps and slammed it into Sasuke face.

A gash opened hot liquid streamed across his cheek bone.

He let go hoping for another chance to apprehend the thug from a stanching position.

Scrambling to his feet he made another lunge for the bandana-wearing perpetrator but the other man beat him by a second, dodged left and ran out the barn door into the night.

Sasuke shook off the mental annoyonce at being a step behind. That's why he was here that's why he'd been relegated to this detail. to refine his skills again.

Wiping a hand across his face he cleaned some of thee clebris out of his eyes and turned back into the barn.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" He stepped forward trying to make form out of the shadows.

"Naruto Uzumaki!"

The excited shuffle of horse hooves drew his attention to the first stall where a nervous throughbred pace around inside the twenty-by-twenty foot square.

He reached his hand through the upper railing to tuoch the horse's muzzle.

"Get away from him!"

Jerking back he flattaned against the wall of the stall, prepared to take on another attack, but the decisive ting of metal boring into wood locked him in place.

"Who are you?" A man stood in front of him. His eyes wide, breath coming in gasps that accentuated his state of agitation.

He was glued to the wall where the pitcfork he'd knifed at him had skewered the folds of his shirt, barly missing the concealed weapon holstered to his belt. He didn't like feeling pinned like a moth to an insect board in science class.

Detemination set his features and glimmered in his eyes.

"Sasuke Uchiha, Your Konoha Agency refferal. I'm the bodyguard you hired to protect from thugs like that."

His shoulder drooped for a second and he let out a sigh but the leery stare still huanted his azure eyes. "You have ID,"

"In my wallet,"

He didn't move "Toss it here,"

Sasuke dug into the back pocket of his jeans with his left hand, pulled out his wallet and lobbed it on the ground next to him.

Reaching down, he scooped it up withouth taking his eyes off him. Flipping it open, he did a quick comparison. "You look better without blood on your face,"

"Are you okay?"

"Hn I'm fine." He closed his wallet and dropped it on the ground. Steppping up he grasped the handle of the pitchfork in both hands and worked, it out of the wall freeing him.

"It's the second time this week someone has tried to get my horse. That bandanna-wearing bastard woke me up when he tried to jimmy the lacth on the stall door," Almost on cue the horse in the stable behind him thrust his head over the gate and bobbed head up and down several times.

"But I'm not your assignment Mr. Uchiha. Kurama is," he pointed at the horse.

Sasuke sputered, dragging the residual particles of sawdust up onto his tongue where he wiped them off with the back of his hand.

"I'm in the business of protecting people, not horses."

"Konoha assured me you could handle this assignment. He claimed you have lots of experience with racehorses."

Kurama bobbed his head again as if he ewere in some sort of conspiratorial agreement.

Another protest churned inside of him, but he held it in taking in the subtle shade of sleep deprivation tinting the skin under his expressive eyes, and the cot made up next to the stall gate with a thick sleeping bag to keep out the chill in the December air.

"You're been sleeping out here?"

"Yeah. Every night since I received anonymous threat over the telephone the day after Kurama won the Clark Handicap at Whilpool country two weeks ago."

"That's impressive, Mr. Uzumaki, but he's just a horse, and I usually protect those standing on tow legs,"

His eyes went wide his body stiffined he'd insulted him.

"He's not just any horse, Teme! He going to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. The triple Crown, Mr. Uchiha."

Kurama bobbed his head.

Amusement glided over Sasuke nerves. It wouldn't serve to insult him again and from the set of his jaw to the surety in his sexy azure eyes, he knew he was certain. He'd seen the obsession before expreinced its destructire power firsthand people with that much belief, in something they couldn't control belonged in Gamblers Anonymous.

"Do you have any idea who's behind the threat against your throughbred?"

"I didn't recognize the voice behind the phone and my caller ID registered it as an unknown number. It could be from half the farms in Mist Country, anyone with Derby prospect. Thry're been slinking around my practice track clicking thier stop watches from behind the bushes since early this fall they're seen the speed he has and they don't want to compete against him."

He stepped to the horse and stroked his hand along the wide white blaze zigzagging down the big bays forehead.

his dropped slightly, his eyes blinked shut.

Even a nivice could see the man loved his animal and believed in him, but he knew the inherent error in his thinking.

"I've got a first-aid kit in the tack room. I'll clean up,"

He headed for the open door. "Besides I'd like too what sort of man my money gets me."

Sasuke scooped up his wallet and fell in behind him as he headed for the tack room in the coener of the barn, watching the sway of his slinder hips clad in tight jeans.

The new put unexpected hustle in his step.

Naruto Uzumaki wa all grown up. A far cry from the boy he remembered seeing once twenty-two years ago. He'd gone from a freckle-faced kid with long, blonde hair to a slender man who at the moment turned up the heat in his blood.

"How long have you been running Rasengan Farm?"

"Since my father had a stroke about the time Kurama was foaled."

Sasuke footsteps falered his dad's old nemesis, Minato Namekaze was still alive?"

"It put him in wheelchair and he never mustered the courage or the physical ability to get out of it." Naruto stepped through the tack room door with every nerve in his sustem attuned to the man behind him. Even bloody and covered with grit he caused an instant attraction just the surface of his tanned skin.

Sasuke footsteps faltered into the tack room right behind him.

"Sit." He gestured to a stool pushed under the edge of a workbench against the side wall Sasuke pulled it out and sat down crossing his arms over his chest.

He turned around to reach into an overhead cupboard and grab the first-aid kit. He was unprepered for the sweet smile on his generous lips when he turned back around or the fact that it was directed at him.

"Konoha did a get job referring you. You're jut what I needed_ someone who looks the part and fits in with my work crew. No suit-and-tie stuffered shirt aviator shades you know, the movie-star-bodygaurd type."

"I aim to please." And he planned to give Hatake Kakashi the owner of Konoha Agency a good understanding of the less-than-idael employment situation he found himself in right now. Bodyguard a horse. He undcrossed arms and watched his smile fade.

He cleared his throat and put the kit down on the work counter next to him. "For what it's worth Sasuke I can call you that, can't I?"

Engrossed in the pleasent vibe jolting his body, he almost fell off the stool when he reached out, grasped his chin and forcibly tipped his face up toward the overheard light.

"You can call me anything you like, Mr. Uzumzki. You're paying the bells."

A slight furrow formed between his eyesbrows and smoothed a second later.

"Call me Naruto please ooh, he kicked you good."

It took every ounce of restraint he had to ignire the heat pulsing from his hand and spreading on his skin. His grasp was firm but tender. He let go and opened the kit.

"It's a clean cut. I'll glue it shut."

"Glue?"

AS trick I learned from my dad. Super glue works wonder on clean cut. Barely leaves scar."

Annoyonce pitted his throughts and dragged a reply up his throat, but clamped down on it. Soon enough he'd discover that scarrinbg was the least of his worries. Refocusing he studied his delicate hands as he menipulated a piece of gauze and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Curiosity opened up inside of him. He reached out and grabbed his right hand the instant he set the bottle down. Turning it over he started at the bridfge of hardened calluses spanning his palm. " Work crew, huh." A tinge of color spead on his cheeks. He swallowed hard and pulled his hand back.

"Someone has to make sure Kurama gets his run for roses."

Irritation flooded his brian, but didn't have the heart to tell him the odds weren't in his hose's favor. "I'll take up the slack for you, since I'll be here 24/7," He stared in his eyes, but it wasn't appriceation he saw there. "Don't worry. I can protect you're horse at the same time,"

There it was, a brief viel of relief passing over his features for an instant he like it but didn't stay long enough.

"I hope so," Naruto whispered. He raised the gauze and began dabbing at the cut on Sasuke cheekbone. "Things haven't been the same around here since my dad had his stroke." Not the same was an understatement, a sweet lie he wasn't proud of but didn't care to clear up with the muscle bound protector he been forced to hire using some of the farm's draining liquidity. Between his Derby ambitions, Rasengan Farm operating expenses and his father's private nurse, there was no room for financial surprises like having to hire a bodyguard.

to continued...

**See you till next time please review...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys I'm back with my new chapter, sorry for the grammar mistakes English is not my mother language. Hope you like it...**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto or Character**

**Pairing: SasukexNaruto, OOC's**

Silence encircled them and he focused on his task of scrubbling away the blood and sawdust from the two-inch gash on his handsomeface. He stare locked on his left jawline.

Tension gripped his muscles, forcing his to suddenly withdraw his hand, as if he'd just been scalded.

"One more scar isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference on me," His matter-of-fact observation was ground out with as much emotion as a traffic cop issuing acitation to an upset motorist.

Sucking in ta breath, he continued working unable to take his gaze off the tick, ruddy scar riding the leght of Sasuke Uchiha's left jawbone from his ears to his chin.

He stepped back, watching his onyx eyes gaze raise to meet him.

This scar was fresh had been a life-threatening injury in his recent past.

"It's none of my business but now_"

"Did I get it?" he glanced down at the floor then dragged his gaze back up to him, and for a moment he throught he saw his rock-hard-features soften.

Anticipation bubbled up inside of him and he automatically leaned closer, like a comfidante waiting to hear a juicy confession.

The moment burst like bubble in his face he stood up.

"The only thing you need to know, Mr. Uzumaki, is I"m here to make sure nothing happen to your animal. Anything beyond that is off-limits."

He looked at him measuring the seriousness in his eyes, but there was something else there. Something raw and exposed. Pain?

The shuffle of footsteps rushing into the barn drew his attention to the door.

Danzo Shimura poked his head into the room.

"My horses are going ballistic, something stirred them up. Everything okay in here?" Tension snapped in the air. Sasuke watch hostility spead across Naruto face tightening it until he was certian he had some sort aversion of the man who darkened the doorway.

"Danzo I'd like you to meet my new farmhand, Sasuke. He took a tumble and spooked Kurama. I"m sorry if it got your horses riled up."

Danzo's eyes narrowed. He stepped through the doorway into the room and reached out to grasp Sasuke's hand. "Nice to see Mr. Uzumaki has finally hired someone to hel[ him."

Sasuke released the man's thick fingers, trying to attach a country of origin to his accent.

"You stable horses here?" he asked

"Yes, half a dozen with two still in quarantine via the Konoha Port Authority at Front Royal. They're on day two of fourteen-day evaluation."

"Anything contagious?"

"No, Just waiting for thier Cggins results. They'll come in soon. We'll go to pick them up and some track time on them before the Christmas Classic at keeneland on the twenty-fourth."

Naruto inched closer to him. If he piushed his elbow away from his body he'd be able to touch him.

"Sorry for the commotion I'll be more careful next time."

Danzo nodded and turned around "Good night then." he disappeared through the door.

Naruto slumped against the workbench the moment Danzo was gone.

Sasuke sat again allowing him to finish what he'd started before the interruption. He held comment until he was sure the man had left the stable. "Who is he?"

"He trains horses for a Hamaru Otsutsuki I've never meet or talked to. They lease my stud barn across the paddock for thier racing stables."

The explanatiion was straight forward, but it didn't explain the visible tension that had sucked the air out of the room less than a moment ago. "I take it you don't like the man."

"He creeps me out. That's all close your eyes, this glue is an irritant. I'll burn,"

He did as he was told and few minutes later he was staring at him again, amazed at how little the cut stung and how beautiful his eyes were.

"Hn... Nice fix doc," he said patting the closed gash with his fingertips.

He smiled and he ressted the urge to physically smooth away some of the fatigue he could see lining his face. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll take over here. We can talk in the morning.

Naruto nodded. for the first time in a month he felt a measure of hope. This battle- scarred bodyguard was here to glanced at the blade of light cutting across the barn floor. There peeking up out of the wood shaving in the exact spot where Sasuke had tackled the intruder he saw a syringe.

He reached down to pick it up, but Sasuke finger closed around his wrist.

"Don't touch it . If it belongs to the assailant we be able to get a print off it."

"It's not mine. I keep my supplies locked up," he straigtened.

"Have you got something we can wrap it in?"

"I don't know, I'll look." he moved past him and back into the tack room, where he heared he pulling open one drawer after another.

Sasuke hestated and turned his head slightly to the right, listening with his good ear as he stared deepo into the darkness, trying to dispel the naggim=ng sensation crawling up from inside his gut. Instant had saved his hidr more than and now wasn't the time to challenge it validity. They were being watched from somewhere in the wall of shadow built into the nooks and crannies of the barn.

He was sure of it.

Naruto shuffled back to his side. "I found a latex glove. Will that do?"

"Yeah." he took it from him and pulled the glove on Reaching down he picked up the capped syringe by the end of the pluner snd raised it to the light coming from the tack room.

"We need to find out what's in this." he studied the syringe full of clear liquid.

"It's likely the creep intented to administer in to your horse if he'd gotten into the stall."

Sasuke carefully pulled the glove off thre syringe cocooning it in the protective layer. We have another problem. "He turned his attention on Naruto.

His eyes narrowed.

"I think there's someone in the barn. I want you to put this on the bench and come with me."

He didn't protest didn't question a good sign, in hhis opion. He'd be safe if he followed his lead and let him do the job he'd been hired to go.

Taking the glove syringe from him, he went into the tack room put it on the counter and returned to his side as he flipped up the tail of his, shirt and unable stered his weapon.

"Stay close."

He nodded and snagged the pitchfork from spot next to uram's stall the air thickened them around them as Sasuke fucosed on the rear exit of the stable. One by one he kicked open the stall gates with his booted foot clearing the cubicles on both sides of the raw as they made way down the aisle.

Staying two stwps behind him, Naruto wielded pitchfork like some sort of medieval he-warrior.

He stopped at the last stall door.

The hair on his neck bristled.

Reaching out he shoved it opn with his hand aimed inside, spotting over the barrel of his 44 Magmum.

Empty save a tabby cat with a mouse in it's jaws who freaked and shot past them, vanishing into the barn somewhere.

"It's clear," he said as he scanned the loft for anything that moved. Nothing he tried to relax and lowered his weapon. Buit the sensation of being watched persisted. looking onto his sense with a tight grip that wouldn't release.

Relief softened Naruto's features, convincing him to let go for the night.

The seach hadn't turned up anyone.

"I'll walk you to the house."

He smiled up at him and turned for the exit. "Thanks. I'll show you the bunk house real quick. I stocked the refrigetator, and I'll spot you a couple hours, a day so you can clean up,"

"SWITICH TO CAMERA ONE, Agent and capture a clear shot of his face,"

"You've got it," the man flipped a toggle switch on the camera panel inside the surveillance van. An image appeared for an instant on the second monitor, then faded to a black screen peppered with white specks "We've lost camera one again. We'll have to get inside the barn to fix it,"

SSound Agent Orochimaru stared at the black monitor.

"Go back to camera two."

The opposite screen flicked on, displaying a clear image.

Agent Orochimaru studied the man next to Naruto Uzumaki as the video streamied in live from the single working surveililance camera hidden high in the stables hay loft. There was a new player screen but how did he fil into everything?

"long his image. I want to know who he is and what he's doing at Rasengan Farm He's packing a concealed weapon. Consider him armed and dangerous."

to be continue.

**No... hangecliff... see you next time... it 2 a.m the morning so i will update next time...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys I'm back with my next chapter sorry if it short, don't worry next update it will long so here the next chapter.**

Disclaimers: I don't own NAruto or Character

Pairs: Sasuke x Naruto and other

Sasuke dumped the last wheelbarrow of manure he'd mucked out of Kurama's stall and pulled of his leather work gloves.

A crisp December dawn was breaking and he watched the first rays of sunlight push through the waves of must blanketing the rolling kentucky hills encircling Rasengan Farm.

He'd forgotten how much he appreciated this time of morning. The stillness that gripped the air, the cold, quit peace before another day roared to life and sucked him into its grind.

"Good morning,"

The sound of Naruto's voice just over his shoulder jolted anticipation into his blood.

He turned around letting his gaze slide over his slender body. His impression of him from last night solidified.

He was beautiful, but his azure eyes had lingered an instant too long, he realized when thier gazes locked and he saw color flood his cheeks.

"I see you've done my morning chores." he stepped past him and walked into the barn. "Thank you,"

He followed, not totally unaffected by the sway of his hips, or the thick brunnette brand brushing the low-rise waistband of his Jeans's yaeh he liked mornings and this was by far the best one he'd in while.

"My gallop boy will be here at seven to work Kurama."

He emerged from the tack with room with a halter, lead rope and brush. "He needs to be warmed up. We're going for a timed gallop this morning."

Ahead of him he reached out, unlatched the stall door and pulled it open. He stepped past him into the cubicle, droped the horse brush and out the halter on Kurama.

A ricker rumbled deep in the big bay's throat he nudged Naruto affectionately as he bent over and picked up the brush.

Sasuke watched him take quick, even strokes across the colt's back and down his withness.

"What his Beyers Speed figure?"

He gave him a glance over his left shoulder and continued to groom the horse. "You do know something about racing."

"Yeah," A measure of hesitation pulled back any need he felt to enlighten him about his past in the world of Throughbred horse racing, or his knowledge of the Beyer System of combining of a horse's race time and the inherent speed of the track into a single performance number.

"It's 126,"

A low whiatled hissed between his lips. He eyed the bay pausing on his definable attributes. a well-chiseled head, long neck, deep chest, long legs, and power hindquarters.

"Tha's not too shabby where'd he last run?"

"Church Down, the Clark Handicap he won his one and one-eigth mile race by five legths,"

A charge buzzed through him it pulse almost pushing him over the edge into excitement but he cut the current off with memories of the disappointment that came after the high. A nose-first dive into reality. One he'd seen many men take. The one that ultimately had claimed his horse-trainer father.

"He great-grandfather won the Derby in 1997,"

Sasuke ran the date in his head, try -ing to reconcile the edge of anger creeping through his body like poison. He turned back around, clutching the iron bars that surroinded the stall.

"Tobirama?"

"Yeah He Smooth Sailing, who sired Nautical Mile, who sired Kurama,"

The world was shrinking and he found himself smack in the middle of ot. Smooth Sailing was the horse Minato Mamezake had stolen from his father of a Derby prospect? If the Beyer Speed Figure was any indicator, Kurama stool a better-than-average chance of winning the kentucky Derby and reading for the Triple Crown.

to be continue...

**Until Next time... ZZZZZZZZGood night everybody its already midnight...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys I'm back sorry if so long not to update this story because of my final exam that why I don't have time to update this story but now is I'm free because the school years has finally over I have a time to continue to write this story just you guys so I hope you will support my story guys...**

**Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or Character**

**Pairs: Sasuke x Naruto and other,**

Naruto put his foot into the strirrup grabbed the saddle horn and climbed aboard his pony horse, Oliver he reached down for the lead rope attached to the colt and Sasuke put it in his hand. He stepped back catching his eye from under the brim of well-worm hat he'd found in the tack room.

His gaze was elctric it intensity arcing through his body with a conductivity that left him breathless.

"It's only forty-four degrees this morning Naruto warm him up good." he nodded. "I'll jog him out a half-mile and back, then meet you at the gate." Reining for the opening onto the race track he hoped like crazy he hadn't seen the blush he could feel stinging his cheeks even as the morning mist cooled his shin. He was feeling shy, he'd had a lover or two, but there was something magnetic about Sasuke Uchiha, somthing primal untamed, sexy and haunting about the way he looked at him.

Tugging on Kurama's lead rope he threaded them through the opening and out onto the track.

Layers of fog obscured the mile-and-a -half oblong but he could see it with his eyes closed he'd ridden it a thousand times. Even in the dark.

Nudging Oliver into a gentle lope, he focused on the rail at the first turn and relaxed into the saddle.

Sasuke watched horses and rider fade into the flat gray mist and put his senses on alert. Turning his head slightly to the right, he picked up the whisperof hoofbeats churning soft soil.

He closed his eyes, lettling the sight deprivation intensify his auditory ability. He didn't know why it worked, but it did closing off one always heightened the other up until he'd been shot in the line of duty, he'd never really appreciated his razor-sharp senses or the capabilities they afforded him.

The hearing in his left ear would never_

Sasuke jerked around at the pressure of hand on bis shoulder.

Caught in an instinctive reaction, he leveled the man with his forearm and shoved him back into the fence rail.

"Easy," the kid's eyes went wide he raised his glove hands in surrender.

The adrenaline in Sasuke's system diluted as he sized the young man clad in a coat, breeches, boots, and a riding helmet it loose strap swing back and forth from the force he'd exerted against him.

"Oh hell, I'm sorry I didn't hear you coming you were on me." he lowered his arm and took a step back. "I over-reacted, I'm Naruto's new groom Sasuke, are you Kurama's gallop boy?"

"Yeah, Konohamaru Sarutobi." he smothed the front of his jacket.

"I'm early my 5:30 a.m ride over at McCluskies" canceled I came straight here."

"Is Utakata McCluskies still running Rambling Farm?"

"Yeah, he has a heck of a Derby prospect himself had a prosped, I should say, until this morning. His filly Ophelia Mine went AWOL sometime last night, and went down in her stall. Hurt herself pretty bad they've got the vet there now,"

Caution sluiced in Sasuke's reins was it possible Kurama hadn't been the only target of the disguised thug last night? He'd have to get the syringe they found turned over to the police for analysis.

"Naruto ponied the colt to the half-mile post he should be back anytime."

He turned his attention once again to the track, picking up the rhythmic clop of horse hooves in the dirt.

"So what do you think? Deos Kurama's have what it take to win Derby?"

"He's a powerhouse with heart. I've barely tapped his speed potential under the right jockey he could take the Trple Crown."

Great another true believer, Sasuke gripped the top rail of the fence while he watched Naruto, Oliver and Kurama materialize out of the mist like an apparition for the first time he found himself analyzing the bay colt's stride. Looking for that it factor the look of eagles in his eyes knowing confident fierce. An old saying in the Bluegrass reserved for winners.

His heart hammered in his chest there it was a rush of hope that sent men and woman over the edge. Compelling them to move heaven and earth for a chance to bet on a winner. He should turn ariound and get the hell out while he had the chance. He had nothing at stake in this gamble but Nasruto Uzumaki did.

Judging by the run-down condition of Rasengan Farm in the light of day, he had everything to lose if the colt didn't come through.

Concern embeded to ensure disappointment didn't destroy him.

NAruto reined in his horse next to the gate and dismouted.

"He's good and warm, Konohamaru took hold the halter he'd used to pony him to and slipped it off.

"Break on the outside rail and move him inside, just like last time. If we get a bad gate pick, he'll be ready to overcome it,"

Sasuke stepped out onto the track and approached Konohamaru.

"Rider up," he called he caught Konohamaru's foot and hoisted him on Kurama back.

Konohamaru put his feet into the irons on the flat saddle and gathered the reins in is hands.

"I wish this blasted fog burn off," Naruto said leading his pony horse, he headed for the opening in the rail.

Sasuke followed watching his tie the leggy blck gleding up before moving over to stand next to him.

"want to dothe honors?" he opened his hand to expose a silver stopwatch. Every horse racers instrument of delusion.

It should have been a simple decision but he wrestled with it any way. The track time wasn't going to lie, it was finite a rock-solid indicator of what the horse was capable of.

"Hn sure," he plucked the watch from his palm and saw a slight smile bow his lips.

If I didn't know better I'd say you'd spent a considerable amount of time arond race horses."

Caution glided throughhim would he have been old enough st the time to remembewr the fued that tore thier father's friendship apart?

"It's was a long time ago I was a kid but you don't forget something ingrained in your DNA."

"Hatake-san was right then, you're the man for this job I'm glad you're here,"

Sasuke stared over at thim at the surly in his azure eyes as he seached his face with his gaze. His throat tigtened he could easily fall under his spell if he didn't pull back.

He turned abruptly waiting for the sound of the horse breaking from the left end of the track.

The fog dampened the swish of the mock starting, but there it was hoofbeats pounding kentucy soil. He raised the stopwatch in front of him feeling his heart rate shoot up. Closre...closer the colt flshed in front of them.

Sasuke started the clock, listening to the horse thunder down the front strech and first turn.

Naruto put his hand on his forearm and shook him. "I told you he's fast I know he can win."

his excitement leached into him and he let a degree of the sensation movethrough his body. Fucosing he turned his head to the right and picked up the hammering of hoves as Kurama thundered his way down the backstretch.

He didn't dare look at the time intinctively he knew it would be to wait until the colt passed in front of him. Seeing would usher in believing and then some.

There was trouble Sasuke felt it first telegraph through the top rail pipe that ran the entire length of the racetrack. Seconds later Konohamaru's yelp of pain reached out through the fog.

"Something wrong." Naruto squeezed his arm.

Kurama galloped from the mist minus his rider and shot past them on the inside rail.

Sasuke pressed the stopwatch and shoved it into his pocket.

"Take Oliver and go find Konohamaru, I'll go after the colt!" Naruto said he ran through the opening in the gate.

Sasuke turned for the pony horse at the same time he heard his shrill whistle for the riderless colt.

He jerked the reins loose from the rail untied the pony horse jammed his foot the stirrup and climbed aboard. He hadn't ridden in years, but riding a horse was like riding a bike you never forgot?

Spuring him forward, Sasuke trotted through the gate and out onto the track Konohamaru was somewhhere on the back turn. That's when he'dfelt the vibration of KUrama's impact wit the outside rail. He reined the gelding inside and eased him into a lope.

A hundred yards around the track the fog vanished, giving him a clear view of the back turn.

Konohamaru lay in a crumpled heap next to the outside rail at the one-mile post.

Worry ground over Sasuke's nerves.

The kid wasn't moving.

He nudge the into a gallop and reined him in just short of the spot where he lay.

"Konohamaru, can you me, buddy?"

Sasuke bailed off of Oliver and dropped the reins.

Going to his knees, he put his hand on the kids shoulder.

Konohamaru moaned rolled to the left and tried to sit up, but Sasuke held him down with gentle pressure. "No way, stay put,"

Sasuke gritted his teeth at the dazed expression on the young man's dirt-smudged face but it was the deformity in his right forearm and the protruding bone, that told him Konohamaru shouldn't be moved. He was going to need a trip to the hospital ASAP.

"I gotta catch the horse." KOnohamaru tried to sit up again.

Sasuke pressed his palm into his chest. "Relax Naruto is taking care of it. He'll catch him you broke your arm stay still."

Konohamaru glanced down at his rigth forearm and went pale.

"WHat happened?" Sasuke asked, praying he could get the kid's attention before he passed cold.

"I couldn't see when I hgit the midpoint ont the back stretch."

"The mist?"

"A flash of red light hit me in the eyes_"

"A laser?"

"Could have been but it must have target Kurama too, because he went wide and slapped the rail. I couldn't hang on I hope he's oaky."

Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto and Kurama materialize out of the mist and into the sunlight.

"Is Konohamaru all right," he hollered the instant he was within earshot.

He waited until he stopped ten feet out holding KUrama b the reins and tring to calm him down.

"Broken arm he needs an ambulance and we need th sheriff. Yhis was no accident they targeted with a laser blinded probably from somewhere in the woods."

Sasuke swept the grove of dense folige with hi gaze and considered looking for the perptrator or perpetrators, but thre shroud of fog would make it almost impossible to find them and he had no intention of leaving Naruto, Konohamaru or Kurama alone right now.

Naruto couldn't prevent his hand from shaking when he pulled his cellphone out of his coat pocket and dialed 911. This was a tun he hadn't anticipated whoever was behind the threats against his horse apparently wasn't afraid to hurt his human handlers as well.

He'd need Sasuke Uchiha now more than ever.

to be continue...

**This it guys this my longest chapter so hopefully you like it...so please review... see you till next chapter stay tone...**


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